Complementary Methods in Cancer Treatment-Cure or Curse?
Kaja Michalczyk1, Jakub Pawlik1, Izabela Czekawy1
1Department of Gynecological Surgery and Oncology of Adults and Adolescents, Pomeranian Medical University, al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|January 20, 2021
Summary
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. While CAM did not impact overall survival in this study, it may interact with treatments, requiring medical team consideration.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Integrative Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Rising prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in cancer patients.
- Development of diverse pharmacological and non-pharmacological CAM methods.
- Advertisements often promote CAM for symptom relief or cure, influencing patient choices.
Purpose of the Study:
- Determine patient characteristics associated with CAM use during cancer treatment.
- Investigate patterns of CAM use.
- Assess the association between CAM use and its safety profile.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, multicenter, survey-based study of 316 patients undergoing chemotherapy.
- Data collected between 2017 and 2019 in Polish cancer centers.
- Statistical analyses included Chi2, univariate/multivariate analysis, Kaplan-Meier curves, and log-rank analysis with 42-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- Patient opinion on CAM safety is significantly related to its use (p=0.00147).
- Belief that alternative medicine can replace traditional therapy correlated with education level (p=0.01198).
- No statistical difference in overall survival between CAM users and non-users (p=0.211).
Conclusions:
- Complementary and alternative medicine use is prevalent among chemotherapy patients.
- Medical teams must consider CAM due to potential interactions with chemotherapy drugs.
- CAM may affect chemotherapy efficacy or cause adverse effects, necessitating careful monitoring.
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